Letters to Home
by AdriW0317
Summary: Dear Mom, When I left home, I was anxious. You told me to always remember my 'why', but my trip has become so much more than that. I have made such wonderful friends here, and they have helped me so much along my journey. A world of opportunities is opening up for me, and I can't thank you enough for helping me get here. Send my love to the family. You're Daughter, Cora.


_Before you begin reading this story,__** I just want to thank you**__ for taking the time and choosing my story out of the countless others out there. It means a lot, and I hope you enjoy. _

_This story is about a young, family-oriented high school girl from America travelling to Japan to study at Ouran Public High School for an academic year and her adventures meeting the rambunctious host club. No spoilers from me, though. Keep reading to find out what happens. It is currently rated T, but I have the authority to change that at any time._

_I do not claim ownership to any canon, but I showcase my original characters in this fanfiction (Cora, Elizabeth (mom), Dan (dad), Landon, and Ronnie). _

_Because I value your time and my work, I will place all authors notes and Q&As from here on out in the bottom to minimize distractions from the tale._

_Happy Reading!_

_-Adrianna_

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Letters to Home

Chapter 1

It's 3 in the morning; no color to the morning sky. The smell of homemade biscuits, eggs, and bacon fill the small house and awakens my appetite. I yawn, stretching my arms, legs, and back under the blankets before getting up. My eyes become heavy like bricks, but instead of dozing off I hurry out of bed. I only have an hour and a half with my family before leaving for the airport. I won't see them again for an entire year. I get dressed in half the effort as I normally put into it before stumbling into the kitchen, where mom is working her magic. "Oh, good morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?" she asks, looking away from the stove for just a moment before turning back to continue her work.

I pull out a chair at our small kitchen table, and I push the newspapers out of the way to rest my head on the cold wood. "Honestly, I didn't sleep much," I admit, "I've been so anxious about this trip." The oven's timer beeps, and mom pulls the biscuits out of the oven. She pours both of us coffee in our little mix-matched mugs. "Thanks, mom." She sits down across from me at the table and takes a sip of her coffee.

She looks exhausted—bags under her eyes, pale, sad. "You should be anxious. A lot can happen in a year. This is the longest, not to mention furthest, trip away from home you have ever been on. If you didn't have a little bit of doubt, then you know this trip wouldn't be worth your while. Everything promising comes with risk and difficulties. However," she takes another sip of her coffee, "However, this will be good for you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed you to go on this trip. Just remember why you are doing this."

"You're right, mom." I show a hint of a smile before sipping my sweet coffee. "Would you like me to wake the boys or set the table?"

"Set the table for me, will you?" She asks as she puts her freshly emptied coffee mug in the sink. I nod in understanding as I reach for the cabinet to grab some plates and glasses. In a rush to finish the task before the guys wake up, I put the silverware in the middle of the table, and I set the gallon of milk and the orange juice of the table also.

I hear some heavier, sluggish steps approach the kitchen. Dad and Landon, my younger brother, are being ushered into the kitchen by mom, who is carrying little Ronnie. "Bless his heart. He can barely keep his eyes open," I say softly, taking the precious boy from his mom. "Good Morning, little one," I try to wake the toddler to no avail.

"Doesn't he have the longest eyelashes?" mom muses, resting her hand on my shoulder whilst admiring her little creation. Dad grumbles from across the room, waiting for us to sit down so he can eat. He's usually not so grumpy… unless he's hungry. What's that phrase?

Aha. Hangry.

Bless him. He didn't eat yesterday's dinner. He was helping me with last minute preparations. He doesn't wait for us to get settled at the table. He fixes a mountain of food on his plate and begins to stuff himself with some delicious breakfast. I fix my little brother, Landon's plate, while mom feeds Ronnie.

I am going to miss my family so much this year. I wish I could stuff them safely in my luggage and sneak them to Japan with me. Not only is that impossible, it's also illegal and against the foreign exchange organization's policy. I have worked too hard to get to where I am now, just for me to blow it. I heave a heavy sigh, shaking my head as if to rid the negative thoughts from my mind. Mom is right. I must remember my _why: _Scholarships. Resumes. A Brighter Future. It's one year out of my, hopefully very many, years. Just one year. I will also be making lifelong friends in the process, not to mention learning another language and exploring a new country. My eyes burn, tears forming in my eyes. "What's wrong, Cora?" Dad asks in earnest concern.

I shake my head, "I just love you guys _so_ much." Landon makes every effort to get out of his seat and into my arms. He looks up at me with questioning eyes "I love you, especially, sweet brother." He grins the widest grin and sits in my lap for the rest of breakfast. He occasionally steals food off my plate, but that's okay. I wouldn't want it any different – my last American breakfast with my very American family.

"Passport? Visa?"

I reach into my maroon carry-on bag, "Check and check."

"Clothes? Keepsakes? Books?"

I pat my bag. "Triple Check."

"Toothbrush? Hairbrush?"

"Check and…. Where's my toothbrush?" I spin around, tripping over my suitcase. I catch myself (thankfully). I hear my dad erupt in joyous laughter behind me. "Don't be mean, dad!" I holler as I dash into the bathroom down the hall. I grab my toothbrush and stick it into the plastic bag I had laid out last night, or more accurately, a few hours ago. Upon returning to the doorway, I see dad has already put the luggage in the car minus my carry on. I slip my toothbrush into a small opening on the top of my bag before taking it to the car.

We load into the green minivan. My dad is starting the car up while mom and I secure the kiddos in their seats. "What would I do without you?" Mom chuckles.

"I'll tell you what," I say through quiet laughter, "You are going to have your hands full." I buckle in my seat, fumbling my phone in my hands, not turning it on at all… not even to glance at the time. Landon is asleep in the booster seat to my right, his seatbelt cradling his head. Ronnie is asleep in his car seat to my left. Dad is driving, holding mom's hand as she watches out the window. The smallest hint of blue fills the sky, and the humidity reminds me of all our family vacations. I'm just not coming back this time. Not for an entire year. An extended vacation. That's all it is. I wish I could shake this horrible feeling out of my gut. I want to vomit.

Ronnie's little hand grabs my finger, unconsciously pulling it toward him. "We forgot his bear," I whisper to mom, in all attempts not to wake him.

She snips at Dad, "Dan, I told you to grab it." With her elbow against the window, she rests her head in her hand. "It's fine. We were all very busy these past several hours anyway. I'm sorry I snapped."

"Forgiven," he grins. His grip tightens around mom's hand for a moment, then he lets go.

It takes about an hour and a half longer to reach the airport. The ride is quiet. An unspoken sense of fear and anxiety lingers between those of us who know better. I have been so excited and worked so hard to have this opportunity present itself to me, but I never stopped to consider the ramifications or the what ifs. Now that everything is prepared, and I am purposely on my way to a life-changing situation, my anxiety is slamming me in full force. I'm shaking, my heart is pounding, and my lungs feel like they just can't get enough air.

We pull into the airport; dad gathers my luggage as mom rounds up the kiddos. "Come on, sweetpeas. Let's go inside." Ronnie is crying in his seat, and Landon is grumpy.

"Why are we here, mom?" Little Landon asks. She attempts to explain in an age-appropriate way that I am going to be leaving for a long time, and they are there to tell me goodbye and that they love me. He turns to me and points at my luggage. "Where are you going?" he asks.

"I'm going to study at a school in Japan," I tell him. I pull up Google maps on my phone. I show him the city I'm staying in. "I promise to take lots of pictures so you can see everything when I get back." I grin.

"I'll miss you, sissy," he hugs my leg, burying his face in my side.

"Hey, now… None of that. How about we take a selfie so you can have a picture of us when you're missing me?" I suggest to the boy. I take a picture of us using my phone. I text it to mom so she can have it printed off for him. "And one more, okay? With all of us." Dad and Mom stand behind me. Dad has Landon on his shoulders, and mom has a Ronnie who is still sleeping peacefully. I struggle to get everyone in the picture, but I manage just fine. "Say I love you!" The family repeats the phrase as I snap the photo. I also text that to mom. I give them all a hug and say my goodbyes.

"Make sure to write to us often. I want lots of photos," mom reminds me before kissing my forehead.

"And snacks. I want food," dad chimes in cheerily.

"Of course, dad." I chuckle. I grab my luggage, and I walk toward the airport. Each step I take is one step away from my past and into my future. I stop mid-step, the tears welling up in my eyes. I wipe my eyes, realizing I'm probably being super dramatic. I turn around to say, "Sayonara." With hesitant confidence, I walk in and follow procedures to board the airplane.

Next stop: Japan.

Tuesday, August 20th

8:14 PM

The plane ride was quiet. No one talked to me save for the attendants on the flight. I got to nap, albeit not a great sleep, but sleep, nonetheless. I also had the pleasant combination of peace and time to study up on my Japanese. I know the language, I'm just not fluent quite yet. That is the whole point of this trip - to gain fluency in the Japanese language. I want to live here one day and teach English to the students here. I was blessed to have a teacher in my school who taught us Japanese. It was my favorite class, but now it is my turn to further that education and to apply it to my daily life.

Customs is a breeze, and I am left to my own devices in a world very different from my own. People around me are speaking languages from all over the world. Some are calling loved ones to update them on their travels, taxis to find their way to their hotels, or employers to give them important information. Others, like myself, are hunting for their parties. It is so crowded, and I don't even know what I'm looking for or _who _I'm looking for.

I navigate through the restless crowd, examining every sign. I stumble upon a man with lengthy, crimson hair and a Japanese girl around my age with a short bob-style haircut. They are holding a sign that says: "Welcome to Japan, Cora." I smile wholeheartedly as I approach the pair.

"Hello. My name is Cora," I greet. The man, who introduces himself as Ranka, and his daughter, Haruhi, offer to help me with my bags as we begin walking to the train station. We are all elated. It is obvious we have been waiting for this for a very long time. We are not far from their home, so we walk the whole way.

My breathing is labored, and my sides hurt. I am certainly not used to this workout. Ranka speaks quickly. I ask several times for him to slow his speech, and he does for a few minutes before he gets excited and speaks quickly again. Haruhi senses my confusion and frustration, and she sends me an understanding look. Out of everything he's said, I have only picked out a handful of words: dad, daughters, mom. Heartache nudges at me, sending me down a rabbit hole of anxiety (again). Haruhi snaps me out of my downward spiral, though. She points at a school building. "Ouran Public High School," she advises me, "We will be attending two different schools. I received a scholarship to Ouran Academy last year."

"Is that a private institution?" I ask her.

"Yes. I am studying to become a lawyer," she says.

"That's super ambitious," I say, "I love it."

We arrive at a small apartment building. There is a minor parking lot, only containing two or three cars. I follow the pair to the second floor of the building, room 203. It is a small, traditional apartment. "Take your shoes off, please," Haruhi asks me as I step into the entry way. I do as I am told. The apartment itself is cozy. It's small, but it's beautiful. I smile warmly. Haruhi emptied half of her closet and dresser for me before my arrival. We spend the next few hours talking, unpacking, and just enjoying having a 'sister' for the first time in our lives.

"Welcome Home, Cora."

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_Thank you for reading this chapter. I appreciate any follows, favorites, or reviews. I ask if you were to leave a review, please leave a rating between 1-10, 1 being the lowest. Any constructive criticism to help me build a story we all want to read is much appreciated. Thank you. _


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